BANGKOK (UCAN) -- Sinchai Khotsawan used to feel out of place in society because he is deaf. To forget his troubles, he would turn to drink.

Two and a half years ago, the life of the 54-year-old carpenter took a dramatic turn for the better when he learned about deaf people who meet regularly in a Catholic church in central Bangkok.

Sinchai, speaking through his interpreter Narong Thanomlek, told UCA News that when he visited Our Lady of Fatima Church, he was moved by the kindness shown him by the parishioners, as well as a handful of deaf people who attend Sunday Mass there.

Those Catholics and non-Catholics have been attending Mass there since 2002. Narong "translates" the Mass into sign language and also conducts catechism classes for the group.

Sinchai said he began to learn that "God loves him and lives within him." He and four other deaf friends were baptized on March 22, Holy Saturday.

For Sinchai and many others like him, joining the group and its activities has enriched their lives. The first seminar and retreat for group members took place in February 2007 in Samut Songkram province, west of Bangkok.

On Feb. 28, the group was officially formed under the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand as the first Deaf Catholic Association of Thailand.

At an association retreat held Feb. 29-March 2, Patrick Anthony, president of the Singapore Catholic Deaf Community, gave sessions to help the deaf.

Half of the association's 20 members are Catholics, and most go to Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church and also attend Narong's catechism class. They also meet for Bible sharing on Thursday evenings.

"I wish the deaf could be treated with the same dignity as other people," Narong admitted to UCA News. Few people in Thailand are interested to work with deaf people, he observed.

After studying sign language at Bangkok's Mahidol University for two years, Narong worked with a private organization for the deaf for two years. He then decided to help deaf people "experience God" in a special way by translating Sunday Mass and hymns into sign language and teaching catechism to the deaf.

For the past three years, the 29-year-old Catholic has also been studying at the national major seminary in Samphran, near Bangkok, so as to evangelize to deaf people more effectively.

Archara Chongsiriwat, 65, one of the first group members, says she is glad the association has been formally established. "Thanks be to God for setting up the association and giving Mr. Narong to work among us and share his love with us," she told UCA News through sign language.

Archara said she has always enjoyed attending Mass but could not understand it before joining the group, because no sign language interpretation was available at the Masses she attended. The interpretation that Narong provides, she continued, delights her because she can get more involved at Mass.

She also said she was inspired to invite other deaf people, including some non-Catholics, to join the group. "We want a deaf association in all dioceses so the deaf can receive the Good News, just like other Catholics," she said.

Father Vatchasin Kritcharoen, the association's spiritual director and secretary of the Thai Catholic Commission for the Evangelization of Peoples, told UCA News, "Deaf people do not want kindness from other people. They just want to be accepted as being as capable as others."

END

(Accompanying photos available at here)